In general, in golfing the ball is sent in the desired direction and for the desired distance by the swing. The swing is the action of swinging the club to hit the ball. Club and body are linked by the hands. Thus, to swing the club is to swing one's arms. As a precision activity, golf calls for a higher degree of attention, focus, and reflex conditioning than other activities requiring attention, in as much as the golfer must envision the target while focusing on the stationary ball.
The swing is a single motion, comprising the following series of motions:
Address→Backswing→Top of Backswing→Downswing→Impact→Followthrough→Finish
A. Address Position
‘Address position’ refers to the body's pre-swing stance, in preparation for a proper swing. That is, the address is the stationary starting posture for the swing motion.
In other words, the address is the position in which the current location of the stationary ball and the target location are gauged, a club suitable for the distance is chosen, and the direction of the ball and club face are set. Notably, the grip is completed in the address position.
Because the address position lays the groundwork for hitting the ball, most unintended missed shots in the field arise from the address. The chief factor in the address causing incorrect ball direction is the grip. Incorrect ball direction is generally due to an improper grip. A proper grip leads to a suitable swing.
B. Backswing and Top of Backswing
The backswing is the motion in which the power is gathered through the motion of the club (including the hands and arms) and club face. The backswing comes to a stop at the top of backswing. The top of backswing is the point at which the weight of the club is supported by the grip. The weight of the club pulls in the direction of gravity, and therefore the grip is formed so that the thumb of the left hand supports the weight of the club, against the direction of gravity. If the thumb of the left hand is unable to support the club against the direction of gravity, the grip cannot support the weight of the club at the top of backswing. Therefore, the difference between a good and bad grip depends precisely on whether the left thumb is supporting the club from below. If the left thumb strays even slightly from the support position, the grip cannot support the club weight, and the club inevitably slips downward.
C. Downswing and Impact
In the downswing motion, the power gathered in the backswing is slowly released, and follow-through takes place upon impact.
D. Finish
In the finish, the swing is completed after club head has struck the ball following the downswing.
The elements of a golf swing are the gathering of power in the backswing by moving the club (including the hands and arms) and the club face, and then gradually releasing that power in the downswing so as to strike the ball with maximum power and speed. In other words, the backswing must be an opening motion in which the body, arms, hands, club and club face move properly so as to gather strength, and the downswing must be a closing motion in which the gathered strength is slowly released and the club and club face return to the position they held in the address position. It is only possible to make a swing at the appropriate speed, sending the ball to the target, if what was opened in the backswing in order to gather strength is properly closed in the downswing.
Most amateur golfers open the body, arms, hands, club and club face relatively well in the backswing, but when closing in the downswing their release of power is not appropriate and the swing does not properly close the club face.
The cause of the open club face failing to close properly when power is released must be sought in the individual motions making up the swing. However, it is well-known among golfers that most such causes reside in the grip. The swing and downswing motions use large muscles, but the grip motion uses relatively fine muscles. The reason can be found in the fact that while large muscles retain motor memory over a long period, the motor memory of small muscles is not long-lasting. In other words, large muscles can retain the same motion, but small muscles do not maintain the same motion even if particular attention is given.
Here follows a consideration of proper and improper grips.
A proper grip leads to a suitable swing. Here, a “suitable swing” denotes a swing which can result in a shot moving the ball precisely in the direction of the target. This is the kind of suitable swing we want. However, an improper grip is unlikely to produce a suitable swing.
Developments in golf club manufacturing technology have changed swing patterns. However, while there have been many such changes in the swing, there has been no major shift in grip, address position, and other fundamental motions. The grip is the most fundamental element in a golf swing.
Nonetheless, most amateur golfers are unaware of the importance of the grip. Most seek only to improve their swing, and do not inspect their grip. This is in contrast to professional golfers, who uniformly begin by checking their grip.
The grip position has an enormous influence on the outcome of the swing. The most common flaw in the grip is the length of skin contact the bottom of the base of the forefinger and the second joint of the thumb. If the grip on the club handle is such that the bottom of the base of the forefinger and the second joint of the thumb are separate, there will be too much space between the hands and the club handle will slip from the hands. In this sort of grip, there is no connection between the hands and the club will turn between the hands at the time of the swing. Additionally, this has the problem that in a strong swing the wrists will go turn too far and the impact will not be precise. If the impact is not precise, both the distance and the direction of the ball will be incorrect.
A proper grip for suitable swing is one in which the bottom of the base of the forefinger touches the second joint of the thumb (refer to FIGS. 5 and 6). The form of the grip which brings both hands together in this fashion can be explained as follows, with reference to the diagrams.
1) First, the thumb and forefingers of each hand must be connected as shown in FIG. 5, in a preparatory position in which the two hands can be brought together as one.
“The bottom of the base of the forefinger (20) meeting the second joint of the thumb (10)” can be further explained as follows.
The thumb (10) is located at the extreme bottom position, unlike the other four fingers. In addition, it is shorter than the forefinger (20).
“The bottom of the base of the forefinger (20) meeting the second joint of the thumb (10)” means that the third joint of the forefinger (20) is not touched, but instead the bottom of the base of the forefinger (20) is in close skin contact with the second joint of the thumb (10).
This can be described in somewhat greater detail as follows, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
The first joint of the thumb (10) is represented by S1, the third joint of the forefinger (20) by S3, the point between the forefinger (20) and thumb (10) by O, and the length of OS1 by l.
The length of close skin contact (d) between the bottom of the base of the forefinger (20) and the second joint of the thumb (10), at the point O, is given by the formula d=(½˜¾)□l. The exact value varies because the lengths of the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) vary from one person to another.
The optimal length of close skin contact for a proper grip is d=⅔□l.
This length of close skin contact between the bottom of the base of the forefinger and the second joint of the thumb is hereinafter referred to as the Skin Contact Length (d).
The bottom of the base of the forefinger refers specifically to the bottom of S3, the third joint of the forefinger (20).
2) In the following motion, the left hand is touched to the right hand, without grasping the handle of the club (40). The left thumb and the lifeline of the right palm fit together like puzzle pieces.
3) The grip is made so as to bring the bent back portion of the left thumb together with the thick part of the right palm. (FIG. 6)
Experts recommend practicing the grip without a club in this fashion, regardless of time and place, using only one's hands. This signifies how difficult it is to maintain a proper grip even on the basis of repeated practice, although the grip is the most fundamental element in golf. The fact that a change in the location of a single finger from its proper location can cause a strange sensation and cause the ball not to be hit correctly is something learned from experience.
In as much as a proper grip is one in which the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) are in skin contact over Skin Contact Length (d), the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) must consciously be held closely together over the Skin Contact Length (d).
A proper grip is not just a grip that results in a suitable swing, but is also a grip that brings both hands firmly together; this is because in a proper grip the club does not turn in the hands at the time of the swing.
Once the grip is completed with Skin Contact Length (d) maintained, the backswing follows.
Now consider the role of the thumb (10) at the top of backswing.
At the top of backswing, the thumb (10)'s role is to support the full weight of the club.
Because a proper grip requires that the thumb (10) be pressed against the bottom of the base of the forefinger (20) over Skin Contact Length (d), this condition must be maintained even at the top of backswing.
Because the weight of the club (40) pulls in the direction of gravity, at the top of backswing the thumb (10) must provide support opposite the direction of gravity. Only if the direction of the thumb (10) is directly in line with the direction of gravity will the thumb be able to support the weight most comfortably while bearing the least load. In so far as support is provided in the most comfortable fashion, the same grip from the addressing will be maintained intact.
However, if the direction of the thumb (10) strays even slightly from opposite the direction of gravity, the thumb (10) will need proportionately more strength to maintain support. This is because, to the extent that the thumb is slanted, more vertical force is needed in order to support the weight of the club (40) against the direction of gravity.
The thumb (10) feels uncomfortable due to the proportionately added strain.
In this condition, the direction of support which feels least strenuous and most comfortable is the direction of gravity; therefore, the slanted thumb (10) unconsciously shifts toward the direction of gravity. The hand is prompted to move so as to grasp the club (40) handle in the direction of gravity by moving the thumb (10).
Therefore the grip of the address position ultimately cannot be maintained at the top of backswing, due to the movement of the thumb (10). Due to the thumb movement, the direction of the club (40) head also changes.
If the same grip is not maintained from the address position to the top of backswing, a suitable swing is unlikely.
In other words, if the thumb (10) is moved at the top of backswing, the location of the gripping hand shifts and the club (40) head does not impact the ball squarely when the swing is made. Because the ball is not impacted squarely, the ball does not go in the target direction and a missed shot results.
It can well be said that the chief cause of missed shots lies in the grip.
This is also the reason why golf experts emphasize the grip.
In the following, the relation between missed shots and the grip is considered.
Just as a proper grip is one in which the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) are consciously brought together, an improper grip is one in which the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) are not brought together, but are separated.
However, the difference in comfort between a proper and an improper grip is not easily perceived. This is because if people feel even slightly uncomfortable they tend unconsciously to seek comfort.
Thus it is not so easy to maintain the Skin Contact Length (d) between the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) from address position through the top of backswing to the moment of impact.
The muscles of the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) are much smaller than the muscles of the shoulders or back. For such small muscles, even supporting the weight of the club (40) is stressful. It is particularly difficult to keep the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) together while supporting the weight of the club (40) at the top of backswing. As soon as the thumb (10) begins to feel strain from the weight of the club(40), the thumb (10) moves unconsciously to the most comfortable position it can assume; this is common knowledge.
Simply separating the thumb (10) from the forefinger (20) makes both the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) more comfortable.
This is because, if it were comfortable for the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) to be held together there would be no need consciously to hold the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) together. However, this is not the case in reality. In fact, the grip is most comfortable when the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) are separated and not held together.
However, all golfers are alike in desiring a suitable swing. To this end, they must consciously practice holding the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) together over the Skin Contact Length (d). However, no amount of practice is sufficient to be able always to hold the grip with the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) always together over the Skin Contact Length (d). This is because small muscles such as those in the thumb (10) and forefinger (20), unlike large muscles such as those of the back, move less in response to memory than in response to sensation.
Thus, while many large muscles characteristically retain memory of repeated motions over a long period, small muscles characteristically retain memory poorly regardless of the amount of practice. To put it another way, large muscles are capable of repeating the same action in the same degree, but small muscles cannot be expected to repeat a remembered action; instead, they move in response to sensation.
Unlike movement in response to repeated practice and memory, movement in response to sensation is difficult to shape into a specific motion; therefore, a grip can only be achieved through conscious effort.
“Conscious effort” here refers not only to the effort to bring the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) together at the Skin Contact Length (d), but also the effort to keep the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) together at Skin Contact Length (d) at the top of backswing.
Even with conscious effort, there are limits to the ability to consciously repress the unconscious movement to separate the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) for the sake of comfort.
Even if the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) are consciously held together for the Skin Contact Length (d), when the mind is focused on the backswing motion the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) will begin moving to a more comfortable position and slip apart. Because the backswing motion is instantaneous, the golfer is not even aware that the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) have separated.
In practice, conscious awareness of the grip cannot be maintained while also focusing on the backswing.
If gloves are worn, it becomes even more difficult to be conscious of the condition of the grip, because there is no sensation of the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) being pressed together over the Skin Contact Length (d) when the outside of the glove covering the left thumb (10) is touching the outside of the glove covering the forefinger (20). However, it is possible to sense the contact of the skin of the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) over the Skin Contact Length (d) when using bare hands, without gloves.
In theory, it is much easier to maintain the connection between the thumb (10) and forefinger (20) consciously through the sense of touch not only at the address position, but also at the top of backswing, when using bare hands than when wearing gloves.
In most cases, the grip is held firmly with the third, fourth, and fifth (little) fingers, so as to prevent the club from slipping out of the left hand due to centrifugal force, and gently with the first and second fingers (thumb and forefinger, respectively).
Gloves oppose this centrifugal force with friction, because the third, fourth, and fifth fingers act to preventing the club from slipping out of the hand at the time of the swing. The friction between the gloves and the club handle provides support against the centrifugal force of the swing.
If gloves are not worn, the friction is directly between the hands and the club handle; therefore, calluses and other scars appear on the third, fourth, and fifth fingers. In addition to this, in the summer if the golfer sweats the handle becomes slippery and can easily slip out of the grip.
For these reasons, gloves are worn.
However, the thumb and forefinger play no role in providing support against centrifugal force, unlike the third, fourth, and fifth fingers. Because they play no role in resisting centrifugal force, the thumb and forefinger do not grasp the club handle as firmly as the third, fourth, and fifth fingers. Their only role is to guide a suitable swing. In order to play a guiding role, they must grip the handle gently. The more gently they grip, the more possible it is to have a suitable swing.
The thumb and forefinger are held together in order to grasp the club handle gently.
In order for the thumb and forefinger to grip the club handle gently, it would be preferable not to wear gloves. This is because with the bare hands it is possible to perceive directly, by touch, the strength with which the club handle is gripped. When gloves are worn, there is no direct skin contact and perception is dulled; consciously or unconsciously, this ordinarily results in the club being gripped firmly.
When strength is applied to the thumb and forefinger, the thumb and forefinger experience discomfort and separate from one another. In this eventuality a suitable swing is impossible because the grip is not correct.
To put this another way, when swinging it is best for the third, fourth, and fifth fingers to be gloved, but for a proper grip and a suitable swing it is best for the thumb and forefinger to be ungloved.